Retired detective claims officer tried to discredit him

A retired detective superintendent, who was criticised in a Morris Tribunal report, today said another officer was engaged in a conspiracy to discredit him over the Silver Bullet affair.

Retired Det Supt John McGinley told the tribunal suspended Detective Sergeant John White was attempting to draw him into the arrest of two members of the extended McBrearty family over false claims by a witness Bernard Conlon that he was threatened with a silver bullet.

“I think he is trying to draw us senior officers into this for his reasons. He has continued to do that at every opportunity particularly every opportunity he can to discredit myself, and whether he thinks that will distance himself from it,” Mr McGinley said.

“I feel that many of the issues he brought up were there to muddy the waters and to distract attention from other issues.”

Det Sgt White has told the tribunal he gave Mr McGinley, who was a detective inspector at the time, three reasons why a man, Michael Peoples, should not be arrested over the silver bullet allegations.

However, Mr McGinley said: “I don’t recall at any time ever discussing the Bernard Conlon issue with Sgt White at any time.”

Mr McGinley said he was a detective inspector in Letterkenny Station at the time and had no dealings with the pub licensing matter in Raphoe.

Det Sgt White has claimed the reasons he gave the superintendent included the credibility of Mr Conlon as a witness and queries over the likelihood of Mr Peoples going to Sligo man, Bernard Conlon’s home to threaten him without a disguise.

Mr Conlon, has alleged he was told by Det Sgt John White to get caught illegally drinking after hours in McBrearty’s nightclub in Raphoe, Co Donegal and become a witness in the prosecution.

The Sligo man has claimed he made up the story over the silver bullet and made false statements after being prompted by Det Sgt White.

Mr Conlon was convicted in the courts of making false statements to gardai.

Tribunal chairman, Justice Frederick Morris, asked Mr McGinley why did he believe Det Sgt White was dragging him into it.

Mr McGinley said: “Whether he is trying a pre-emptive strike and saying that he was the first person to bring this up I don’t know. Going back to your question why pick on me, and my feeling on it?”

He said after the investigation into the death of cattle dealer Richie Barron there was a great deal of paranoia and panic.

Mr McGinley said he thought it strange when he heard the allegations from Mr Conlon that two people – Mark McConnell and Michael Peoples – had gone down to Sligo and threatened him with a silver bullet if he gave evidence in court against the McBreartys in a liquor licensing case.

“I think chairman our view on it at the time was it was very strange, that it was a very strange happening in the midst of the licensing laws and the ongoing matters in Raphoe,” Mr McGinley said.